Day 1- July 29, 1995

Istanbul, Turkey

By Dale and Darice Lutz

Well, it’s 5:00 p.m. on July 29, 1995. The moment we have all been impatiently waiting for has finally arrived. Our Turkey experience with Europe Through the Back Door has begun! We venture downstairs to the worn but welcoming lobby seats and take our place beside other back door travelers. Some of us have seen each other in passing already at breakfast in the bottom floor of the hotel. Others of us have barely had time to wash up and drop off our luggage after arriving form the airport. Together we are eagerly anticipating our adventure in this beautiful, mysterious country over the next two weeks.

We introduced ourselves and Meli and Judy, our intrepid tour guides, greeted us. We were served our first tiny tulip glasses of strong Turkish tea while the call to prayer rang out in the background. Meli outlined some of the expectations she had for us as a group, and stressed her commitment to helping us understand and enjoy our stay in her beloved homeland. We waited for the last two group members to arrive from the airport, but after a while we decided to go to the Blue Mosque and hoped they would find us there. Meli, wearing her famous sensible high-heeled shoes and conservative tank-top, led us to the grand front doors where we covered up with scarves, took off our shoes and entered. Lots of people were milling about, but there was a roped-off area for serious worshipers. Meli took us over to the side and gave us the first of many lecture-folktale sessions which packed a lot of information in one punch! Amazingly, the mosque was built in only 7 years, and done in a way that challenged the existing ideas of grandeur. It focused on being unique and beautiful, rather than merely bigger than other mosques. The last 2 tour members found us inside and our touring family was complete! We took many pictures of the fantastic ceilings, blue tiles, etc. Meli voiced displeasure with the new uniform carpeting that had recently replaced the more traditional pieced carpets. It was only the first time we would hear a strong opinion from her!

In the courtyard of the mosque we stopped and played the name game to try remember who we were. With a group this small, it won’t be hard to get to know each other soon. Then we walked to a renovated house across the street for our first dinner together. Tiny homey restaurant we almost fill the place with our group of 16. Food was fantastic: beans as an appetizer, baked eggplant, flatbread, meat and onion as main course, baklava for dessert. We ate and ate and finally sat back and sighed. After the meal, Meli left us to our own devices and gave us instructions about where and when to meet in the morning. In various stages of jet lag and general fatigue, some of us chose to go back to the hotel and rest while others set out to see the night sights of Istanbul. A group of us ventured back to the main area to see the light show outside the Blue Mosque. It was enjoyable, though the accompanying historical story was in Turkish. After this we were happy to go back to the hotel and try to sleep through the early call to prayer!

Day 2 - July 30, 1995

Istanbul, Turkey

By Dale and Darice Lutz

We got up and breakfasted on the regular fare of olives, feta-type cheese, bread, tomatoes, cucumbers and tea. Then we all walked to an old cistern built in about 500 AD. It was hard to see that there was anything of interest there from the busy street it was under. There was just a small brick building as a ticket booth to mark the spot. Underground was a fabulous huge cavern with innumerable huge columns taken conveniently from nearby pagan temples (early recycling). Some had intricate carvings, including a huge Medusa head. Meli talked of history, romance and the practical uses of the cistern, and how it was protected from being poisoned by an enemy, etc. We all got little blue “evil eyes after meeting Medusa. The place was perfect for the phantom of the opera to glide around in his little boat, eerie and dripping.

Next, we were off to the Islamic arts museum. On the grounds we sat and soaked in Meli’s first 40 minute lecture on Byzantine, Ottoman and Turk empires and how they left their marks on each other and on the area art-related or otherwise. In the art museum we saw glass, porcelain, pottery, rugs and a section on the evolution of a Turk’s life from nomadic and totally self-sufficient, to modern life today. Then we went across the street to the hippy-era famous pudding shop to stuff ourselves with more food. I was first in line and, unprepared, I pointed to a few dishes I wanted to try. To my surprise, each one was meal-sized in itself. Yikes! We all experienced the same thing and ended up swapping and sharing quite a bit. We ate grape-leaf-wrapped dolmas, potatoes, eggplant, macaroni mixed with garlic and yogurt, tomato and cucumber salad, chicken and tomato stew, cherry juice, watermelon and much more. Several people tried ayram, a local yogurt and salt water drink. I tasted it and pronounced it GROSS! (But then again, it’s not the last time you’ll hear a strong opinion from me either!)

Stuffed with food, we left and trundled over to St. Sophia’s church? Mosque? Museum? Really, it’s all if these things. Meli led us to sit casually amongst some ruins outside the church as she gave us some more information about the history of Anatolia. An American couple, hearing English information, tagged along and were welcomed by Meli. We encountered the theme of cultural, religious and historical synthesis for the first time, and saw it demonstrated in St. Sophia’s magnificent interior. Ancient Christian frescos were flanked by huge Islamic medallions.

Outside the Red, slightly crumbling exterior of St. Sophia’s we walked along the street to the grounds of the nearby Topkapi palace. While we waited for our time to go in, we looked at some displays of royal wealth. The size of the jewels and the number of gold and gilded dishes was incredible! Dining and eating was obviously an important facet of palace life at that time. Even more amazing was the relative lack of security in the museum area. The inside of the palace and harem area was opulent and oozing with riches. I can only imagine what it might have looked like in the hustle and bustle of everyday palace life! Marble, gold, and busy, exquisite tiled ceilings and walls made up the interior. Tempering our enthusiasm slightly was the information Meli supplied about how difficult it was for harem women to readjust to civilian life once the harem was abolished. We left the grounds and headed back to the hotel, suffering slightly from sensory overload.

In the evening we met again and walked in the other direction to a popular tourist strip of cafes and restaurants, loud and lit in the night. How does a person navigate these winding, unmarked streets without getting completely lost? On the way, Ed met an ice-cream vendor doing contortionist twists and stretches with some kind of gummy ice cream. He dove in for the treat and we all watched, amused as he nibbled away at it. Our restaurant table was under a roof, but without walls. Several musicians circulated, singing and playing instruments. Meli did some brief but graceful hand dancing to the music, but none of us was loosened up enough yet to join her. We enjoyed yet another fantastic meal of several courses. If it weren’t for each of us ending up with personal bouts of the big "D" sometime before the end of the trip, we all would have gained 10 pounds! Back to our hotel home for one more night before we packed up and left the intriguing, but sometimes frenetic and stressful city of Istanbul.

Day 3 - July 31, 1995

Istanbul, Turkey

By Mary Galbraith

We checked out of the Aya Sofia Hotel after breakfast and boarded our beautiful bus - with music, air conditioning, library, huge windows, and scads of room. What a deal! Off we go to our first stop, the St. Saviour of Chora (Kariye Camii), now a museum, located in a remote neighborhood area of Istanbul. The former 8th century church/mosque, and now museum, got the name Chora, meaning “in the womb of nature or countryside, from the fact that it was originally built outside of Istanbul’s walls. The building was restored after sacking by the Crusaders. It contains a series of superbly preserved frescoes and mosaics said to be among the most evocative of all the city’s Byzantine treasures. The mosaics were not destroyed even though the church became a mosque in later centuries, when the Turks established Islam. Actually, artists from Cappadocia began working with mosaics as early as 8000 BC, and the mosaic work we saw in Chora showing facial expression in the artwork is an example of the evolution and sophistication of the artists.

Meli’s descriptions of the mosaics and frescoes made the stories come alive. Christian art is said to have taken its final form in Constantinople, and was brought to Europe with few modifications. Originally, Jesus and the saints were artistically depicted quite differently in different regions, and in many cultural forms, as we will see in Cappadocia. However, as the personifications of biblical figures developed over the centuries, there was a gradual consensus of what these figures looked like. In the frescoes and mosaics at Chora, we see that Jesus is identified by the cross behind his head. (This was later dropped in the Renaissance.)

The museum is divided into two themes: Christ and the Virgin Mary. The cult of the Virgin Mary was in response to the 432 AD Ecumenical Council held in Ephesus which emphasized the need for a mother image. Since the people of Anatolia worshipped many goddesses or mother figures over the centuries, this emphasis was important to them. The mosaics in this section are based on the apocryphal gospel of St. James which gives an account of the birth and life of the Virgin, and this theme was particularly popular in the Middle Ages. We see the genealogy of Mary, her royal blood, and her life growing up.

Christ’s life is depicted in picture book sequence: his infancy, Herod’s slaughter of the Innocents, Christ’s ministry, temptation, and miracles, and the second coming. A particularly spectacular fresco shows the resurrection where Christ is trampling the gates of hell underfoot, and forcibly dragging Adam and Eve from their tombs.

After a brief time for souvenir shopping, we went to Istikal Street, Istanbul’s modern main pedestrian mall. On our own, we wandered the streets away from most tourists, and Meli recommended we walk to an area called the flower passage, which is a small market area. Some of us got more money and had our first independent lunch, pointing at and tasting who-knows-what!

We all made it to our next pit stop the elegant nineteenth century Pera Hotel, made famous as the place where Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express. Here was an example of old elegance, looking like something out of a movie. Some of us can say we peed at the Pera !

Off to the Grand Bazaar where we were set loose to explore. Meli gave us all little piece of paper with written questions (in Turkish), just in case we got lost. Jewelry, leather, copper, souvenirs, food, teas, and yes, carpets, everywhere. We made our way to the Spice Market (and didn’t lose a soul!), where we met and walked to our private boat. We had a wonderful, relaxing cruise up the Bosphorus. From the water we saw a spectacular view of Istanbul’s skyline, its many minarets, city walls, many ships (lots from Russia), the Dolmabache palace (home of the later sultans and where Ataturk died), the Galata Bridge and Tower, and out of the Golden Horn. The Bosphorus separates Asia and Europe, and for the first time I got the sense that we were really far from home. Meli pointed out the geographical significance of Istanbul. Many beautiful, expensive homes, some used as summer homes, lined the shores.

Following our cruise, we had a snack at a walled ruin, where a concert was being set up, and we shared a bit of biographical information about ourselves. We are fortunate indeed to have such a group, and especially such a small group.

Off to dinner at a middle class restaurant, where we tasted the local cuisine and said goodbye to Metin who will meet us in Ankara. Following dinner, we all got into cabs for an absolutely hilarious harried ride (race?) to the train station. Indy 500 drivers look out!

Our car of couchettes had bunk beds and with the help of our patient(?) porter we figured out how to set them up. [Editor: though not before a few of us had made valiant, if terribly misguided, attempts on our own!] Watching out the windows at the nighttime scenery, hearing the clickity-clack of the train, it wasn’t long before we drifted off at least some of us.

Day 4 - August 1, 1995

Ankara, Turkey

By Georgeanne Barrett

We woke up on the train to Ankara. Having two people to a compartment made us feel as though we were on the Orient Express. Quite a treat to see the countryside flying by after having left the busy confusion of Istanbul. Fields of sunflowers, rolling hills, and flocks of sheep swept by as we had breakfast in the dining car.

We met Metin and the bus at the train station and proceeded into Ankara (the capital of modern Turkey), and to the Museum of Anatolian Culture. Meli gave us a nice background history of Anatolia in a park-like setting outside the museum, which sits on a hill and offers a good view of Ankara. The museum itself has collections ranging from prehistory through Hitite, Phrygian, Urartian, Persian, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Of particular importance is the material the documents the arts and crafts of the Hitites dating as far back as 6000 BC in addition to bronzes, pottery, jewelry, and bas-reliefs.

After a typically delicious lunch, we drove to our second Ankara destination, the mausoleum of Ataturk. The mausoleum is set at the top of a hill overlooking a scenic boulevard, flanked by granite statues of lions, which led to a square at the base of the monumental staircase. The simple and elegant mausoleum was built between the middle of the 1940s and the early ‘50s. It is decorated with marble and mosaics and the front doors are made of bronze cast in Italy. Ataturk lies in the crypt in the center of the room where some of us paused to reflect on this historic figure. The visit to the Ataturk museum of personal belongings to see numerous relics and keepsakes was the finale of our visit. As I reflect on the man Ataturk, the most memorable and insightful bit of information that Meli passed on to us was his speech at the Anyac Memorial in 1934:

Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore, rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.
Here in this country of ours
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

After a long bus ride to Cavusin, we stopped at a restaurant along a river and enjoyed a delightful dinner outdoors. A mosque across the river combined with a beautiful sunset gave everyone a postcard photo opportunity. A big, buggy eyed beetle at the dinner table gave me an excuse to have one glass of local wine and fall over backwards in my chair, and I was the only one who didn’t panic!

Our final destination was the Green Motel (be sure to check out their website), and we were graciously received by our hosts, a beautiful family of mother, father, and three sons. Some of us were afforded rooms carved directly out of the rock, our first introduction to the unique architecture of the Cappadocia area.

Day 5 - August 2, 1995

Cavusin, Turkey

By Bob Taylor

Early rise to see Cavusin before breakfast. Reports of experiencing the millenniums abound. We are staying in a pension/motel that is partly carved of rock/sandstone. European breakfast with an Anatolian twist of olives and tea. The closeness of humanity is brought home as we find ourselves in Cavusin between Avanus and Nevsehir in the Nevsehir state of the Cappadocian plain (32 º and 36 º longitude, 36 º and 40 º latitude). A world away, but so close to our hosts in our efforts to be friends and communicate.

90,000 T Lire for the postcard, 36,500 T Lire for the stamp, the inflation numbers are almost too much to comprehend. [Editor -- the tour two weeks earlier paid only 20,000 T Lire for the postage back to N. America!]

Meli gives us a lesson on the harmony and synthesis on man and the lands of Anatolia the grapes and the sandstone for rooms and protection all created by people from the land.

Everyone came back with something from the roadside stands some who were without money were given gifts!

The outdoor museums centered around early Christian art, and depicted Saints from the general area. These churches or chapels or monasteries were carved out of sandstone rocks in this area dating back 900 - 1000 years.

The visit to the family living in the rock was amazing. Three generations lived in a home carved in stone going back 100 to 150 years. The mother’s bedroom was beautifully decorated with carpets and a view to die for. All of Cappodocia and a large Rainier type mountain in the distance lots of pictures were taken by all.

Lunch was served in the shade in the motel by the family. Yogurt, fresh, Lentil soup, the best most of us ever had, rice and meat dish, plenty bottled water.

No time, but move on to the state supervised carpet demonstration and sales presentation. Seeing the different grades, regions with local weaves, and dyes, also a complete silk demo from cocoon to soft tassels.

Some of us bought beautiful local carpets from this school institution.

Back to the Green Motel for relax, shower, and onto dinner another surprise I’m sure. Carved out of limestone in Club Med style, we were in for a package of sensory stimulation for two hours. 400+ people filled the dining room with terraced banquets, dance floor, music, and lights similar to Las Vegas night life. Turkish food, drinks, and folk dancing were splashed on us for two hours – smaltzy but exciting for the revelers. [Editor: A particularly funny moment happened when a French tourist came to our table and argued vehemently with Meli that Sue’s drink was his. The look on his face was priceless when he finally looked around and realized he was at the completely wrong table.]

Day 6 - August 3, 1995

Cavusin, Turkey

Author Unknown

8:22 am -- We’re off! The family at the green motel waves goodbye. Both sons are well-educated and little Abraham is beautiful. What a family! Wait, Ed forgot to turn in his key. So Ed, run back to the motel, you need another mile! We’ll wait here in the cool bus.

8:45 am -- Avanos and pottery demonstration. Galip, the potter met us as we left the bus. After a very classy jump onto the kickwheel, Galip began a pot. Amazingly, a teapot emerged from a lump of clay. How did he control the size, make the lid fit, measure the angle of the spout? Easy, he said. Should we all come back for his classes? He also made a Hittite rose water bottle by making a hollow rim from the spinning clay. Amazing! [Editor; Galip also had a fascinating "Hair-em" room containing thousands of labeled strands of hairs from past female visitors, and a few from our group left a permanent record of their visit in this room as well.]

Meli showed us one more of her many sides as she made a pot while wearing a fancy dress!

And then, kilim shopping. A highlight was watching Galip’s mother making a carpet. Great shop with no pressure to buy, but most of us did! Jane asked for assurance from the group that she was not crazy to buy a beautiful carpet. We eagerly gave her our enthusiastic blessing.

11:00 am on to the underground city. But, first a stop for photos of a family in the wheat fields during the harvest. They were very open and willing to be photographed. Dale mentioned that his grandfather would have used similar agricultural equipment in Canada in the 1930s. The address of the harvesters is: Ozlem Poyraz, Cardak Köyü, Neusehir, Turkey

The underground city (one of many in Turkey) showed the dedication of the early Christians (followers of Paul) to their beliefs. We tried to imagine digging a city and then living underground to hide from enemies. What a task! Before entering the city, we were lectured by the man in the blue sweater who taught himself English with audio tapes. Outside, we saw an 88 year old woman with severely arthritic hands who sold embroidered dolls she had made for 50,000 Lire ($1 US). Meli rightfully called them achievers.

1:30 pm -- Back on the bus. Judy provided bread, cheese, and snacks. This group must eat hourly!

2:30 pm - After a long, hot walk down the hill through a small, poor village, we ate lunch at a beautiful river side café. We had bread stuffed with spinach and spices made on location. Salad, bread, fruit made us all want to stay longer. Little boys stripped off their clothes and played in the adjacent river. A great lunch.

3:30 pm - Walking up the hill, Meli asked a local woman if we could visit her home. What a highlight! Her two daughters, a sister-in-law, and her two children, another relative all made us welcome. We enjoyed tea, a cat who slept contentedly, and Turkish music for dancing with the children. Write to: Emine Görür, Belisirma Köyü, Güzelyurt, Aksaray, Turkey

7:00 pm - The Otel Karballa, Güzelyurt - We met for reflections of the trip. We admire Meli for her respect of Turkey and for insightfulness. We could never see this on our own. We worry about extremes in all cultures. We need balance and a way to understand before being understood.

We ended the day with another large meal at the Otel. Great rice pudding! [Editor - The Otel was a large stone building that had previously been a monastery. Some of us got upper rooms that with winding staircases that made us feel like we were Rapunzels. The Canadians in the crowd thought they were staying at the home of the Friendly Giant!]

Day 7 - August 4, 1995

Güzelyurt, Turkey

By Sue Buster

We awake in Güzelyurt to roosters, horns and the now-awaited call to prayer. Villagers are on their way to the fields, and behind the hotel two boys herd cows over worn hill paths. Heavy haze reclines below the nearby volcanoes, and bright light illumines the mosque’s dome. Later we will debate whether the silver top is aluminum foil or duct tape!

Walking to breakfast we pass clusters of men taking tea at sidewalk tables and wonder again about the role of village women and whether, as Meli feels, doing all the home-based work gives women power and constitutes a matriarchy. Dale is ready to agree to these terms and give Darice the power of doing all the work!

From the restaurant rooftop we view the city and greet neighbors breakfasting al fresco. Judy looks beautiful, dressed for the day in her silk blouse and hand-painted scarf. We make her our Designated Fashion Plate.

We breakfast inside seated on the floor under Turkish tablecloths with a tray of fresh pastries and the usual tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cheese, and bread. Afterward we are absorbed in conversation by twos and threes.

We move next to the nearby mosque where we sit scarved and covered in a circle on the wall-to-wall avocado. Meli explains that all religions offer a code for living and tells us the basics of Islam. Most important are humans, the peak of creation. Unlike Christianity, there is not a belief in original sin but in innate goodness. Islamic beliefs help people be good:
(The dome) belief in God and the prophets.

The four pillars which support the dome are:
1. Getting body and spirit in shape through prayer
2. Fasting for one month during Ramadan
3. Giving 1/40 of wealth to those in need
4. Going to Mecca once in a lifetime.

The leader of several local mosques met with us. He welcomed the opportunity to convey knowledge of Islam because he feels it has been erroneously linked in the media with political movements and thereby misunderstood in the world. Islam is a religion of justice and humanity and, in essence, a bill of rights. Racial discrimination is banned, and rights are well protected in societies which are predominantly Moslem. Again, beliefs are simple: peace, brotherhood, and belief in God and Mohammed. Islam is conveyed individually and is not evangelical. Because all people are valued equally, there are no classes or separation; all that can divide people are good or bad manners. The leader teaches his community in all areas, and sermons address social issues because all of this comprises spirituality. Islam is not dogma but a way of life.

Jihad means doing whatever is needed to protect your own nation. Personal jihad, which is standing up for one’s own beliefs, is essential. The use of this term by political factions is sloganeering, not the spiritual meaning of jihad.

Late morning the bus drops us above the village, and we descend a side road opposite what signs call the antique city. Home are carved in the rock, and at the lower end of the city is the joint church-mosque of St. Gregory. We observe a moment of silence to sense the voices of the ages and hear birds, chickens, dogs, donkeys, and children. We follow the road downward to an early church-in-the-stone where Meli teaches us again about cimostasis(sp?) and the paintings. Gathered under the rich-hewed dome painting, we join in signing Kum-bai-yah and Amazing Grace. The setting magnifies our voices, and we are moved to tears.

Back on the bus, in moments we reach a small treed valley which serves as a community center. We relax and explore. Seated against a tree in a grassy area where animals are watered, I record the impressions of a full morning.

When we leave the village at 2:30, groups of men still sit at curbside. Donkeys are transporting people and supplies, and mounds of harvested wheat are piled everywhere.

Enroute to Konya we visit a caravanserai from 1229, a fortress-like stone frame which offered lodging for people, animals and goods using the trade roads. Such accommodation existed about one day’s journey apart and were supported by the sultans to encourage trade. Lining the walls were rooms of all uses: kitchen, bath, (excuse me) toilet, sleeping. An oversize stable occupied the far end, and a small mosque stood separate in the center. During years of use, caravanserais provided a setting in which travelers experienced other cultures. Back on the bus, Meli read us Seuleman’s poem and the writings of Yunus Emrey.

About 6PM we arrived in Konya, a city of about one million which Meli described as a combination of the most orthodox and the most leftist people. After dinner, on our way to the Turkish bath, we drop by the local police precinct to determine the realities of crime in Turkey. The officer in charge welcomes us and it seems as if the entire station is glad for some excitement. Meli translates that there have been 148 incidents so far in 1995, mainly robbery and traffic no murders or rape. It is explained that there are almost never incidents of domestic violence because of the strength of family and community and a willingness to get involved. When asked, the officer attributes the lack of crime to the country’s belief in Islam. Later we discuss that while these statistics present an amazingly positive picture, we question whether domestic violence is either accepted as reality or goes unreported.

Our Turkish bath experience was truly a trip highlight. We dropped off the men and proceeded to the hamam where we disrobed and were led into the communal bath area. We poured water over ourselves in preparation until we were commanded to the center by one of the two women workers. With rapid-fire commands and movements they kneaded our bodies on the marble slab like hunks of bread dough, then ordered us back to an alcove for a rigorous shampoo followed by a shakeningly cold rinse.

Afterward we went around the corner to check on the men’s progress and found work still underway. When Dale was brought out looking newly hatched, he regaled us with accounts of what he’d endured and how watching Ed and Walt being attacked had assured him his slim body would be snapped like a matchstick. Never having had a massage of any kind, Dale felt baptized by fire and lucky to have survived. [Editor - Even as I type this my body aches with the memory!] The incident kept us laughing throughout the rest of the trip. At our last evening together Meli asked us in future contacts to make some reference that would help her identify us, and Dale suggested that he could identify himself as Turkish Bath Dale!

Day 8 - August 5, 1995

Konya, Turkey

Author Unknown

After breakfast at the Sema Hotel in Konya, we heard Meli’s lecture on Mevlana and visited his mosque and museum.

Mevlana History and Philosophy:

Meli wanted us to understand how Islam is different in Turkey than other Islamic countries and why people from all different sects and religions are following it today. The father of the whirling Dervishes as able to put into words the philosophy of being human, ecumenical, and universal.

Mevlana was born in Beth, a town near Jemerkarich, the capital of the Sel Turkian Empire surrounded by Mongolia, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Middle East, and Anatolia. It was a rich area for blending of diverse cultures and west-east, east-west trade further enhanced this diversity.

Mevlana’s father was a teacher who, although Muslim, was conversant with Voodooism, Chinese philosophers, Christianity, Judaism, Latin and Greek, and believed that free speech only occurs where freedom is so he went looking for the right place. After trying Damascus and Baghdad, he ended up outside Konya, capital of the Sel Turkian Empire. Sultan convinced Mevlana’s father and followers to come into Konya where he was given a school or medreses. There Mevlana learned all the philosophies of the world from his father and his father’s friends. For 40 years (remember what that means), he and his friend Sams (Schems) from Tabriz studied together. After this period he was like the fruit that had ripened and was ready to fall from the tree. Sems left and Mevlana became the real teacher.

His philosophy embraced universalism, humanism, intellectualism, and human freedom. He realized that too much intellect could be restricting and could lead to fundamentalism. There must be religious nonconformity where faith is disbelief and visa versa. Religious dogmas hinder intellectual independence. There must be love and everything will be okay. Those who glorify the mosque and not love are fools. The dogmas separate man from go. Man is god. There is a monotheism and oneness and all levels and there is no separation between you and me. We are not only God’s creation but a reflection of god. There is a oneness which does not allow for duality or double standards.

The Whirling Dervish ritual consists of putting one foot out in front, one arm up and one arm down and turning. The ritual has power and optimism. One foot in center is on the Koran and the other goes around 72 nations. One hand takes from God and gives to the people through the other hand and visa versa. You are at the center of the universe and yet united with others. The strength is that the soul has so many joys. If the world is destroyed, we will build a new one. The dynamism is a sense of pride and hope for the future. Create a rose garden over the crumbling Ottoman Empire. You can keep faith by emphasizing love. Love is the Sultan of Sultans. Internal faith is emphasized we can find god in ourselves. The trinity is wisdom, felling, and consciousness. Each human being is a masterpiece of perfect art and what we do with ourselves is our responsibility. There is joyfulness. The angles are jealous to watch my flight.

Mevlana Museum

Sultan wanted to build mausoleum which Mevlana wouldn’t allow but his son allowed a museum. Mevlana, his father, and all his family are buried underground with turbans resting on their sarcophagi. The hall in the museum was used for Whirling Dervishes. In the entrance way, oval tableau and pictures showing turban. The turban is Mevlana’s philosophy and his philosophy is loved therefore it becomes symbolic of Mevlana. In the main museum, sarcophagi around sides with turbans, some of Mevlana’s clothes, and musical instruments.

Other Events of the Day

· Two circumcism parades within about ½ an hour. [Ouch!]
· Meli’s finds from her shopping in antique stores. (Let us all be reminded that this is NOT a shopping trip!)
· Blue pamphlet being handed out by woman in traditional clothing outside museum. Didn’t want to give one to Mary. Meli went to police because the pamphlet had no publisher named. Pamphlet talking about evils of homosexuality according to the Koran (seems very discordant with the Mevlana philosophy somehow).
· Leaving Konya, long buildings with wool drying on top.
· Stopped for delicious picnic lunch, and then drive through beautiful mountains with evergreens (still reforestation project?) (cedar). Meli pointed out that the reforestation project began in 1991 on the celebrations of Ataturk’s 100th birthday.
· We noticed the trees turning to red pine today. 1/5 of Turkey is covered with forest. North is maple, south is red pine.
· We stopped in the well preserved remains of an ancient caravanserai (precursor to today’s truckstops!) for a quick break and look around.
The ride to Antalya was long but interesting, and we encountered our most humid hot weather when we arrived there in the evening.

Day 9 - August 6, 1995

Antalya, Turkey

Author Unknown

Left late -- 9:45 from Atelya Pensiyon. All present. Stopped at bakery for treats downhill and steps to Hanan Harbour for excursion on ship Mahmet Kapstan. Grand crescent of bay with rocky cliffs and sandy beaches fringed with high rise hotels and apartments with exception of old harbor where boats dock.

First stop for swimming and Walt comments It’s the warmest water in Turkey! (with the exception of the Turkish Bath). Great swimming because of high salt content. Meli manages to persuade us to do water ballet. Dive scores: Meli 10 for jackknife, Ed 9 ½, but Mary gets 10.5 for pinched nose dunk with legs drawn up. 3 hold outs.

Lunch at 1PM on boat - delicious fried mackerel with salad assortment and fruit - lots of political, financial, spiritual and biographical talk. While anchored in front of Club Med we feel grand on our "Yacht". Let them eat their hearts out.

Visit to large cove and take group shots (also cheesecube of Meli) where we were attacked by Hittite rocks falling from above. Azure blue waters with worn washed sandstone cliffs.

Third stop for swimming Ed ventured as far as cave. Holdouts manage to take the plunge and dive in giving us 100% participation.

Fourth and final stop and Meli joins adjoining boat for Turkish Folk dancing Fish Dance. Here comes the ice cream boats but we hold out for special Melon Sundae Award for bravery goes to Meli - Georgeanne - Ed - Jane - Dale - Darice surviving Banana Boat ride.

Arrived 5PM at quiet cove but very impressive ruins of Phaselis. Awaiting us with our bus was Metin. But first must we really climb to see theater ruins (3000 years old) and Vista of Mt. Olympos. The great wall built by Hadrian -- he stopped here too and left his signature.

Meli tells the legend of a shepherd who sold this land for a Box of Fish little less than paid for Manhattan. The dignity of the people from the sea who built huge cities was reflective of their dignity Persians to Alex the Great then Romans. Entrance of 3 arches with Greek and Roman inscriptions. Meli relates what we’re missing on Olympus Mtn. Fresh water most serious problem solved with aqueducts still standing.

Finally walk to bus and drive to Pit Stop for various necessities. (WC - Shopping - Water). Bob still complains about 10,000 T Lire charge for WC. I agree and don’t go. Sunday appears to be celebrated even through Moslem Holy day is Friday. It takes us 2 hours to arrive in Antalya in the bumper to bumper traffic. Meli regales us with a prior trip’s saga involving an accident, broken buses (plural), ferry problems, old ladies who Meli hitch-hiked for, and a very disappointed driver. So, so glad it wasn’t us. Meli rates us as an A++ group .We are special.

Day 10 - August 7, 1995

Antalya, Turkey

Lynn Galiger

Atelya Pension

· Breakfast at 7:30 ; bags ready for pickup at 8AM, 8:15 leave.
· Picked up last laundry; left pension and walked to bus.
· Taxis took bags to the bus Walt’s bag goes for a nasty spill on the road somewhere between the pension and the bus. The bag is scarred but the contents survive intact.
· Left Antalya at 8:40 ; Meli talked about inflation and social problems.
· Road changes noticed by Meli and Metin ; used to have to leave at 7:15 but now with better roads we can leave at 8:40 and arrive 1 hour earlier than when they took the older roads.
· Jan-May: mountains seen as we drive out of Antalya are covered with snow good skiing
· Min wage = $220/month is tax free; many people work in family and pool their $ so they can afford to live; many high rise buildings for people moving in from villages to start businesses and work in those businesses; people from a village tend to live in the same buildings; sociological problems of people adjusting and not fitting in real well with either their old village or their new homes. Some original people in this area became wealthy but didn’t know how to manage instant wealth from selling land for high rises.
· 1001 fish fried in pan 5m by 2m at one time at food festival by people from one area of Turkey known as being best cooks.
· Teachers get extra $$ to buy clothes to present a good image to class. Also extra $$ for books and newspapers.
· $2192 is the average income per person per year . This figure includes people who are self sufficient and won’t work for pay.
· 28% of imports is burden on the economy
· Drive out of Antalya pretty through foothills of mountains. Many deciduous trees, which are green, but the grass is brown.
· Winding roads up mountains with pines and big bushes with pink flowers.
· A typical breakfast was: Tomatoes, 2 white cheeses (1 soft, 1 hard), jelly, sliced baguette, white melon (no olives or cucumbers), choice of tea or coffee served in white tea cups.
· A lot of traffic on the road but not bumper to bumper like yesterday; flocks of black sheep along road as wind through mountains; saw several black tents alongside constructed houses.
· Arrived at semi-nomad tent at 9:45 along highway.
· Removed shoes before stepping on carpets outside tent; entered tent; very cool and pleasant; carpets and fabric pads covered floor; stove present; woman, baby, son and nephew; baby crying so mother breast fed it; walls of tent made of vertical sticks held together by 3 rows of rope.
· 9 children, all different occupations, 1 nomad - daughter of the nomads went to tourism school in Antalya.
· Free education ; pass test then get full scholarship with room and board. Universities are not for elite; must pass exams

· Nomad man has a mini-bus; 200 goats; they’ve been in this location for 4-6 years; will live here until the goats have no more grass to eat; milk goats at 4:30 AM, then work in the fields.
· Coffee grounds and lemon best cure for diarrhea after immodium, but no refrigerator so Meli couldn’t have her make some for people not feeling well today.
· Sharon held the baby, which then fell asleep, so she put the baby down. The mother then covered baby with piece of fine netting to protect it from flies although none seemed to be around. The nomad woman seems quite comfortable squatting rather than sitting on floor.
· Meli made rolls of unleavened bread and cheese made and stored in animal skins; apple tea and black tea for those with stomach problems (don’t use sugar!)
· Many bought scarves that the lady had put beading on and had for sale; learned how to put scarf on and had a group picture of ladies with their newly-acquired scarves.
· 10:45 left nomad tent.
· Chick pea piles in the field small bundles bound by stems arranged in circular piles all over fields.
· Schools are managed by minister of tourism.
· Villages manage lighting; other community needs; self sustaining
· 11:15 WC and refreshment stop
· 11:30 leave for Pamukkale 2 ½ hour trip
· Travel pursuit games Meli quizzes us on things she’s already told us and provides bananas for correct answers everyone ends up a winner
· More winding mountain roads (some of them very very very narrow); drove through small village corn in fields about waist high; new construction at other end of town many 2 story and a few 4 story buildings.
· Small lake, maybe reservoir
· Women in field bundling some green plant, longer and bigger than chick pea bundles; field with excuse me donkeys in them; little village with red tiles roofs in distance with a mosque; all houses the same.
· Fields of sun flowers, corn, lentils, alfalfa
· Large very blue (like turquoise tiles) lake Salda contains sodium and has a white beach; goats come in summer to eat sodium, then go back for winter; goat droppings on beach.
· Meli passed out dried figs for snack; fields with many rectangular patches of plants with white flowers on the top.
· Meander Valley - Ionian civilization - most fertile valley in Turkey - 4 harvest per year - Meander River at bottom gives it its name.
· Abdullah Restaurant -- back door mushroom only restaurant for lunch use caves in the area to grow mushrooms
· Mushrooms served in a variety of ways, some of the sicker members opt out and go for non-mushroom soup and later regret their decision.
· Menu is: marinated mushrooms salad (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions), individual hot pita bread, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, onions; yogurt and hot red sauce over mushrooms in terra cotta dish with mushroom tops and cube of cheese; desert = mushrooms with syrup and coconut (and cloves of cinnamon)
· Are in process of building this road; lots of house construction (4 story); they build houses first, then bring facilities into the area solar panels on roofs provide water heating.
· Pamukkale is city with rooster that crows the longest had genetic engineers develop rooster that crows longest group in this city raised $$ to finance the project.
· Laodicia Valley drove over train tracks (major train route), Karuka
· White cliffs of Pamukkale; geothermal activity causes dry band across mountains goes for 50 miles steam vents; therapeutic for skin problems; iron and magnesium causes red earth only thing similar is Yellowstone and New Zealand.
· Water flowing over cliffs leaves white residue but at lower levels the hotels waste water drains out and turns the cliffs yellow shame!
· 5PM National park entrance under construction for 2 years still not finished, as we head into ancient ruins and hot spring.
· Road winds through the necropolis (city of the dead) with sarcophagi and other burial sites; archeologists uncovered and found many filled with valuables
· From the road looking straight ahead we should see a mountain where the Collossians lived. St. Paul wrote an epistle to them.
· 3 arches of Hierapolis (the ancient city at this site) Oracle said to kill son of Hiera because he would kill 2 uncles and marry his mother, so they left him in a basket to die. Someone rescued him and raised him and eventually he grew up, and somehow in battle or something killed two uncles. The king offered him a gift which he refused, so got land and his mother was disguised as the gift. He later named his land after his mother.
· Visited and swam in mineral pool with broken Roman columns in it (inside of a hotel!)
· Meli took our pictures while we swam and also looked after our stuff.
· Many bubbles in pool that collect on swim suits and arms and legs.
· In the deeper channel at one end of the pool there are more bubbles. The thing to do is wait for bubbles to collect on arms and then write name in them.
· Some people went back to hotel with Meli.
· Some chose to walk through pools in the cliff and follow the trail down to the villages and hotel.
· Even after 6:30 PM it was still very hot, but the crowds did seem to be dwindling.
· 38th Wedding Anniversary Party for Carolyn and Bob Taylor. Presented them with Ara Guler book black and white photos of Turkey.
· Party was a surprise; sat around pool with a cool breeze and Meli presented the gift and champagne toast; Carolyn related the story of their meeting and Bob the story of the courtship.
· Had a buffet dinner at hotel in upstairs restaurant Vegetarian meal - custard dessert was very popular. Some people went to bag - shop to get bags to carry carpets and other treasures home did a little bartering.
· Some bought Meli’s book on Ephesus. Some swam in pool earlier at hotel nice pool 6 feet deep in all places.

Day 11 - August 8, 1995

Pamukkale, Turkey

by Carolyn "Cast Iron Stomach" Taylor

Goodbye to Pamukkale, travertine pools, unearthed necropolis and hordes of tourists (but quiet, well-mannered Norwegians at our hotel.) Bob and I were thoroughly surprised and genuinely touched by the Champagne celebration honoring our 38th anniversary. The gift was perfect Lost Istanbul, a black and white book of exquisite images. How can we be so lucky to land in this jewel of a country with such an A+ group.

A tour highlight awaited us in Aphrodiasius , once a Roman city of 25,000 citizens. Only recently unearthed, the museum, restorations, scattered antiquities, and Meli’s clear narratives all contributed to our enjoyment. In her dramatic presentation style, she led us to the top of the immense stadium where we imagined ourselves watching an exciting event. We walked among gated entrance arches, marveled at the size of the reflection pool (once graced with the statues now displayed in the museum), and sat in the cool shade on marble pieces to hear Meli synthesize.

I’m catching more and more snatches of "going home" conversation as we head further west. Gone are the veil covered heads and donkey carts, replaced by tour buses and postal stations.

Turkish pizza and my beloved Diet Coke for lunch, and freshly squeezed OJ for roadside snack in this Mediterranean land of plenty.

Infirmary report: Jane recovering, Walt starting back on soft food, Bob on active Pepto-Bismal!

Our replacement hotel in Kusadasi faces the Aegean Sea, 2 cruise ships, and the Kusadasi merchants. We welcomed air-conditions, room-darkening drapes, and tiled luxury bathrooms everything gets down to bathroom basics, doesn’t it?

Had a short meeting to plan something for our last nights affair, but the creative juices weren’t flowing. Decided to visit the waiting merchants instead.

Make that bathroom basics and shopping!

Day 12 - August 9, 1995

Kusadasi, Turkey

by Judy and Jane’s Friend (A Guest Author)!

We start the day at 8:30 AM by driving up the hill overlooking Kusadasi to visit the house Meli is building beautiful views of the water! We enter through a low door into what will be the laundry room and start climbing, level after level, each with more beautiful light and views, carved stone, carved wood, a fireplace, lovely tile, until we reach the top terrace. 7 floors above the ground, unobstructed views and a cool breeze it will be Meli’s study when its done. As we go down again we look at all the details that will make it a special place.

Back on the bus, we’re off the Selcuk and Ephesus, about ½ an hour away. Meli takes us to the courtyard of a Mosque a cool quite place to talk to us about the history of Ephesus away from the crowds of tourists. She remarks that even the courtyard, with pillars from different eras, shows the synthesis of different centuries in one place.

The history of Ephesus spans 5000 years, with the area continuously inhabited for that time from the Amazons who created a sanctuary where a meteor fell, to the founding of Ephesus as one of the great 12 Ionian cities, its rise and decline over time and the rebuilding of the city on the orders of Alexander the Great.

In the museum of Ephesus we get a sense of scenes from everyday life Meli helps us to get a sense of the people who lived there, not just the buildings remaining. We see tweezers, make-up tools, needles, toys, and flutes, a beautiful lapis colored glass tray and glass bottles to hold the tears of women whose loved ones were away. There are amazing statues of Artemis the embodiment of all Mother Godess figures. A description of one of the Mother Goddess figures giving birth is described on the sign as "grotesque"??! It seems so inappropriate, Meli asks a man working at the museum why the word was used he writes it all down, but doesn’t give us an answer.

After a brief buying frenzy of beautiful antique jewelry, we have a delicious lunch of white bean salad, sis kabob, and watermelon, with the special treat of fresh figs brought as a gift from the man who owns the jewelry shop.

A long winding climb (in the bus) up the hillside through pine trees takes us to the house of the Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her last years. Busloads of tourists crowd into the small chapel where people are lighting candles, taking pictures, and praying. Meli calls it an uninstitutionalized house of peace, where Muslims and Christians can pray together under one roof, in a spontaneous, natural way. We see people carrying bottles to fill at the spring and pieces of cloth tied to the trees and vines in the pagan tradition the Mother Goddess lives!

As we leave the site and descend the winding road, Meli says that Metin has a gift to give anyone who can answer a trivia question (only one person in 5 years has ever gotten it right!) what is the license plate number of the bus??? No one has a clue, though there a few wild guesses. Since nobody wins the quiz, he gives the gift to Judy, since she has been on the tour so many times, it’s a small pitcher with an image of the Virgin Mary.

As we enter the upper part of Ephesus, we are jostled by mobs of tourists, guides speaking many languages and everyone trying to snap pictures with no one else in them, but Meli knows where to take us away from the crowds (and into the shade!) to talk about what we are seeing.

The marble and stones come alive as she asks us to imagine that the odeon was originally covered, with arched windows of stained glass, like the beautiful lapis tray in the museum, and decorated with statues of poets, musicians, and dancers. As we move through the site, Meli brings it alive and we can imagine the marble streets full of people, the hospital, the 3 story high fountain with a statues of a woman pouring water down on the women below with the morning sun making rainbows as it shines through this amazing waterfall.

We see a man working on some stones and get a sense of the meticulous, time consuming job of restoration chiseling the surface by hand so that two broken pieces can be put back together.

A jarring note is the cocktail tables being set up in front of the amazing facade of the library seems so inappropriate! As we leave the theater (the biggest in its time 24000 seating capacity) we catch sight of the skydivers with red parachutes descending from the sky what of view of Ephesus they must have! As we walk toward the exit, we look down a long street lined with pillars and can almost imagine the blue of the sea where there was once a dock at the entrance to the city. On the bus again, Meli has one last story about St. Paul and the riot at Ephesus before we arrive back at the hotel.

Later that night we gather together on the rooftop of the hotel for our farewell party. One by one we give reflections of the trip. The group performs our song (attached below), some of the members share some poetry, and we each receive our awards from Judi and Meli. After a group picture, we retire for the evening to ponder what life will be like without all the details pre-arranged for us.

The next morning we are ferried from the Hotel to the ferry one last time by the always-professional Metin. Meli guides us through the bureaucracy of getting exit permits from Turkey, and we board the ferry for Samos.

The Turkey Trot Goodbye Song

CHORUS
Why not go to Turkey
Why not go to Turkey
Why not go to Turkey with the Meli tour?
Fun in the sun, even with the runs, on the Meli tour.

In Istanbul we’ve been accosted, begged to stop and try,
Pretty lady, madam, mister, please look don’t have to buy,
The call to prayer rings out to wake us, beckons us to rise,
We don’t mind the inconvenience, we’re a group of A+ guys!

(Chorus)

Meli’s got a knack for stories, jewelry and shoes,
She unravels ancient mysteries with her knowledgeable clues,
Anatolia, Islam, culture, are subjects we discuss,
Who says learning new ideas can’t take place on Metin’s bus?

(Chorus)

All too soon our time has ended and we must go back home,
, No more tea in nomad black tents, no more splendid Blue Mosque dome,
Turkish baths will have to stay here, the aches are all we’ve got,
We’ll get on the boat tomorrow, it we can carry all we’ve bought!

(Chorus)

Goodbye Poetry

MELI

You are the Sultana of the Sultanas,
Woman of the Ages,
Translator of the Ancients,
Interpreter of the Anatolian cultures,
Our bridge to Mecca, our path to Christianity.
Our bundle of energy who lets us peek a bit into her eyes that tell us more than just the words.
We would never have known or learned to love your country if we had not been brought to this end by a beautiful person such as you.
May the presence of Allah always be with you.


Bob Taylor

THE NOMAD’S SHEPHERD

We joined the group of nomads in Turkey,
We wandered the land looking for beauty and antiquity.
We drank in the sights and absorbed their knowledge.
With the care and guidance of our shepherd, we knew we were safe and secure,
Free to gain an understanding we’ll cherish.
Many thanks to our nomadic shepherds, Meli and Metin.

Lynn Galiger

How do we describe Meli?

Lentil Soup (serves 4)

Ingredients:
· Red Lentils - 1 pound - wash water to cover.
· Peel 2 potatoes - yellow, not white, the size of Meli’s hand.
· 1 onion - not sweet - chop in quarters

Directions:
· Drain lentils
· Put everything together and add water 4 fingers above the lentils and boil until potatoes fall apart.
· Food processor - put in another pat butter, red pepper.

Summer Lentil

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Copyright © 1996, The Travel Bug Bookstore, Last revised on January 13,1996